Influence of TikTok on Body Satisfaction Among Generation Z in Indonesia: Mixed Methods Approach

Abstract

Background As social media platforms gain popularity, their usage is increasingly associated with cyberbullying and body shaming, causing devastating effects. Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of social media on Generation Z users’ body image satisfaction. More specifically, it examines the impact of TikTok on body image satisfaction among TikTok users aged between 17 years and 26 years in Indonesia. Methods The methodology used mixed-method approaches. Quantitative data were obtained from 507 responses to a questionnaire and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. Qualitative data were obtained from the interviews of 32 respondents and analyzed through content analysis. Results This study reveals that upward appearance comparison is influenced by video-based activity and appearance motivation. Conversely, thin-ideal internalization is influenced by appearance motivation and social media literacy. Upward appearance comparisons and thin-ideal internalization comparisons detrimentally impact users’ body image satisfaction. Conclusions The results of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for social media providers, regulators, and educators in their endeavors to establish a positive and healthy social media environment for users.